


A Warm Place

by masochistedgelord



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Flirty Akira, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Sick Akechi, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 03:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12099609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masochistedgelord/pseuds/masochistedgelord
Summary: Akechi really didn't know what he was doing.He should have been in bed, resting. Yet... for some inconceivable reason here he was, at Leblanc instead.





	A Warm Place

**Author's Note:**

> I'm currently sick and I had sudden inspiration for this fic... So here you go

Akechi’s head was pounding.

Swallowing, he winced as the inside of his throat flared into existence, burning painfully as if he had been righteously drinking cleaning spirits. Bracing himself he grimaced as he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. 

He looked like death warmed up and that was not an understatement. His lips were pale, his skin chalky and shiny at the same time. The sides of his nose were red almost comically so and the dark circles under his eyes were also substantially more pronounced. 

He frowned at himself and felt the nerves in his forehead explode into a frenzy as the skin tightened. Something like anxious worry settled in the pit of his stomach and he attempted to _smile_.

Not a real smile of course, he hadn’t done one of those in… A certain dark curly haired man wearing a soft smirk went through his mind and Akechi watched his reflection’s tv-smile tighten along with the muscles in his cheeks. The smile felt even harder to pull and he sighed and looked away, unable to bear the sight of his terrible looking self any longer. 

Akechi shivered as he splashed his face with what felt like cold water even though it was supposed to be warm. Had he forgotten to pay his bill again? No, he had paid it. The water only felt like ice to him, contrasting against his feverishly hot skin.

He was sick of course, no doubt about that now. The thought was grim as he felt his nose tingling. Rushing to grab a tissue just in time before he sneezed, his entire body protested against the sudden tense and harsh release of his muscles. Cleaning his nose, he examined the tissue before throwing it away in disgust. 

Akechi _hated_ getting sick. It made him feel weak and helpless. Memories and feelings of nostalgia, of being alone all came far too close to the surface he constantly fought to shove them under, as if sensing his weakness and threatening to weaken him further. He hated the foreign yearning that being incapacitated emotionally and physically brought. Feeling weak made him want something to lean on, _someone_ …

Akechi scowled at the stupidity of his thoughts and ignored the ache in his muscles as he trudged back towards his bedroom. The worst part of all this was there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He just had to bear it, like everything else. 

Tossing and turning in his bed being plagued by the voice he hated most in the world, it was no wonder Akechi couldn’t settle. He was cold, freezing even. His back was aching. His bed was just too cold, and it wouldn’t warm up. All Akechi wanted right now was sleep. He just wanted to forget everything. The past, the future, the present and sleep this awful fever away. Feeling frustrated he turned his pillow over and tried to close his eyes and fall asleep once again. 

_There’s nothing for you. Y_ _ou have no one._ _No one cares about filth like you, no one ever cared and no one ever will._

His self deprecating thoughts weren't helping.

Sitting up, Akechi threw his useless covers off and got up off the bed. He’d had enough. The air in his apartment hurt to breathe as he searched his wardrobe for something at least a little warmer to wear. His lungs felt like they were filling up with tiny shards of ice as he dressed and he was suddenly hit with a need to get out. To just, leave his apartment. Outside temperatures probably weren't much better and he was in no fit state to be anywhere except in bed at the moment, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to stay put anymore. 

Akechi didn't know what he was doing, trudging around the city at this time. The sun was setting and the sky was a fraying mix of neon orange and pink already becoming a deep purple, around the edges of the horizon. 

He wandered aimlessly following wherever his feet took him, not really paying much attention to where he was going until it was too late, which was quite appalling since he was supposed to be a detective.

He suddenly realised where he was headed and wondered what the hell he was actually doing. Perhaps his fever had attacked his brain and killed off numerous cells and that's why he was making his way to Leblanc, when it certainly wasn’t the time for coffee. 

_They are probably closing now anyway what’s the point in going?_

Yet still he stayed on his course until he was right at the door, again wondering why he hadn’t just turned around and gone back to his apartment to be miserable.

The first thing that hit Akechi when he opened the door and stepped inside was how warm it was. It was so warm in there, surely it must have seemed stifling to anyone who wasn’t ill, but to Akechi it was more than welcome. He thought it was the kind of warm that never faded no matter how cold it got. 

 _And that thought made exactly no sense._ It was probably because of his dead brain cells. 

The second thing that hit his heightened senses was the smell. Fresh roasted coffee beans mixed with an edge of sweetness and a hint of _warmth_. Which was dumb because, temperature didn’t have a smell. But then it did. It smelt like Leblanc. It felt...comforting. The foreign feeling was suddenly so intense Akechi felt himself sway on his feet a little before leaning on the wall to steady himself. 

“Eh? We’re closing now- Oh it’s you.” Sakura-san’s voice drew Akechi’s gaze to the counter. 

He tried to ignore the sudden dizzying disappointment that hit him almost painfully in the gut as he noticed only the older man behind the counter. 

_What...was I expecting…? It’s his shop after all._

“Ah..I-I’m sorry I don’t mean to trouble you-” 

“It’s fine, you’re a regular. Just don’t stay too long eh kid?” 

Akechi nodded slowly and sat down at the bar in his usual spot. 

“Well I didn’t notice from over there but you look terrible.” The old man sighed. 

Akechi chuckled humorlessly. “I suppose I do.” 

“Akira isn’t here tonight, god knows when he’ll be back… that kid..” He sighed again.

Akechi blinked. _What made him think that he’d come here for...Akira?_

The disappointment that was still simmering in his gut bubbled over and Akechi realised he had been hoping to see the dark haired boy for some reason, before quickly trying to dismiss it. A cup of steaming coffee was placed on the counter next to him. 

“ ‘s on the house.” Grumbling the man turned away, busying himself with something behind the counter. 

Akechi took the cup in his gloveless hands and cradled it in his palms, allowing the heat to seep through the porcelain into his skin, through his entire being. He sniffed and suddenly realised with embarrassment that he didn’t have anything to clean his nose with. 

“U-um sorry to trouble you, but do you have any tissues?” 

A few napkins were passed to him and he accepted them gratefully, putting his cup down only to wipe his nose with one and store the rest in his hand. Sipping on the hot liquid, he felt it settle in his stomach, warming his insides in a way he was unfamiliar with.

_Had drinking coffee here felt like this before?_

He couldn’t remember.

All this warmth was getting to him and he wasn’t supposed to stay long but... he could feel his head’s pounding fading out and going hazy instead. Akechi caught his eyes closing and sat up a little straighter, putting his cup to the side. 

_I can’t fall asleep here!_

But it was so warm, so cosy and so quiet that Akechi found himself unable to resist the cloud of fatigue that had descended upon him. Folding his arms on the counter, he leant forward and rested his heavy head on them. 

_Just for a minute… It’s just...for a minute._

 

Akechi found his consciousness slowly returning back to him. His head was fogged up and he felt confused, his cheek ached uncomfortably and there was a strange prickly feeling at the back of his neck, like he was being watched. Oh, and there was that. _That_ certainly felt the most strange. Was he even awake? 

A gentle caress was going through his hair delicately, slowly. The motion was repetitive, starting from the top of his head and going down towards his neck then lifting for a second before starting again from the top. It was...it...

_Feels nice…_

Akechi also felt like he should be questioning this strange feeling that was spreading through his chest at these light touches. 

_What even is it?_

No, he didn’t want to question it. He didn’t want it to stop. But, really it was far too strange. He had never felt like this before. Feeling a frown crease his forehead he sighed through his nose and the motions stopped abruptly. 

_A hand...That’s a hand...someone is stroking my head._

That deduction was enough to rouse him. He felt his eyes open blearily, reluctantly. Akechi blinked wondering why the world was on it’s side before his vision cleared up and he realised where he was. 

_Wait…_

With widening eyes and an apology ready on his lips for falling asleep he lifted himself up from his arms too quickly, his head spinning with the action. The apology died in his throat and he swallowed hard almost falling off the stool as he noticed the one behind the counter was not the owner of the small coffee shop, rather his dark haired employee who had the infuriating ability of appearing to see Akechi when he was most vulnerable. He was looking at Akechi with as much surprise at his sudden movement as Akechi felt at seeing him here. 

“W-w-what are you doing h-here?” Akechi managed before mentally kicking his still half awake dazed self.

Akira’s surprised expression relaxed and all but vanished. “I live here, you know.” 

Akechi blinked. “A-ah yes...So you do. I u-um…” And more mental kicking. 

_What is wrong with me?!_ _Oh, yes I’m sick and seem to have lost some brain cells._

“What time is it?” He asked quietly.

Akira was regarding him with a strange look that Akechi felt go right through his chest. 

“Late.” A sudden cocky smile made it’s way across his face and Akechi nearly choked on air.

“O-obviously…” 

Clearing his throat he noticed the half empty cup of coffee he had been given earlier still on the counter. He touched the cup with a finger and flinched at the freezing temperature. So it had been a while then…

“You were pretty knocked out.” Akira was still looking at him and Akechi was hyper aware of the fact they were the only ones in the coffee shop, and Akira’s eyes hadn’t left him _once_. 

Akechi looked away unable to take the concern in that dark gaze. “Yes...It seems I was.” Looking back up briefly he added, “Make a habit of spying on sleeping people do you?” 

Akira’s reaction was satisfactory. He laughed nervously and rubbed at the back of his neck with his hand.

_His...hand…_

Akechi came to the sudden flustered realisation that it had been _Akira’s_ hand caressing his hair while he slept. 

_No...no.. I must have been imagining it._

What Akira said next had Akechi blushing brightly, his mouth falling open in shock. 

“Not all sleeping people, only sleeping beauties.” 

“You... _What_?” 

Akira dropped his hand from his neck and leant forward on the counter. He was close, close enough Akechi could feel his breath ghost across his face. Akechi gulped and Akira’s eyes followed the movement behind his glasses. 

“I-I’m sick.” Akechi whispered. 

“Yeah, thought so.” 

Akechi frowned and opened his mouth about to say something when he felt a sneeze making it’s way down his nose. He turned away quickly, stifling the noise as best he could but when he turned back Akira was smiling at him again, his eyes sparkling and crinkling softly at the corners. 

“Cuute.” 

“Y-you! Shut up!” Akechi spluttered. 

“Hmm, No. What are you doing here anyway? You should be resting in a bed, not on a coffee shop counter.” Akira’s voice was serious again, a slight worry present in his tone. Akechi felt dizzy again and it wasn’t because of his fever. 

“I...couldn’t sleep so…” He trailed off and Akira made a humming noise.

“So, you came to sleep with me instead?” 

Akechi snapped his gaze back to the unbelievable boy in front of him. Akira was wearing a completely serious face as if he hadn’t just said _what he’d said._ Akechi was sure he was as bright as a tomato and he felt mildly annoyed at how quickly Akira’s teasing could make him blush. Of course the first thing he can manage to say is something stupid.

“You weren’t here.” Honestly, Akechi wanted to dig a hole, fall into it and never come out again. 

Akira chuckled playfully. “I’m sorry.”

Akechi hid his face in a napkin that time, not giving Akira the pleasure of seeing him blush _again_. He looked towards the door.

“I’m here now.” Akria spoke quickly, as if sensing Akechi was going to leave. 

“Ah...it..it’s late.

Of course Akechi wanted to stay. He always wanted to stay when he came here and Akira was around. It was a weakness. 

But he didn’t want to impose, he also didn’t want to sleep on the counter again. That was...fairly embarrassing. Yet Akira’s hands in his hair…

_That had been Akira’s hands right?_

It had felt so nice, even now his outrageous presence was comforting in a way that Akechi hadn’t expected.

“I should really get to bed.” Akechi hopped off the stool. He imagined Akira had gasped behind him. He was definitely imagining the grip on his wrist. 

“Don’t go… Out there in the cold.”

The sentence was off balance, the last part was spoken hurriedly in a fluster and Akechi couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit smug. Turning to meet Akira’s gaze was a mistake. His eyes burned into Akechi with an insistence, a drive that had his stomach flipping. 

“The counter isn’t exactly the most comfortable place to sleep.” Akechi smiled wryly. 

“Then sleep upstairs.” 

Akechi looked at him in shock.

“I have a sofa, so you can take my bed.” Akira spoke softly, too softly it had Akechi’s resistance crumbling. 

“I…” 

“C’mon, let me take care of you.” Akira’s grip tightened the tiniest margin on his wrist and that request was oh so tempting. 

“Okay.” Akechi didn’t even feel the word leave his lips.

Akira’s eyes brightned and when he smiled his whole face seemed to glow. Akechi couldn’t look away and Akira all but dragged him up the stairs to the attic. 

Throwing some blankets on to the sofa for himself Akira gestured to the bed. “Go on, it won’t bite.” 

Akechi narrowed his gaze at him.

“But I might.” Akira added and had the gall to _wink_ at him. Akechi scoffed and got into the comfortable looking bed. 

“Is this even safe…?” He muttered settling into the blankets and sighing at the softness of them.

“Huh?” Akira’s voice floated over to him from across the room. 

Akechi felt his eyes closing once again, sleep threatening to drown him. Akira’s bed smelt like Akira. Something musky and dangerous but warm and inviting.

“You might jump me in my sleep or something.” Akechi found himself mumbling.

“Not unless you wanted me to.” Came the response almost immediately. 

Akechi smiled secretly into the pillow. 

_But it wouldn’t be so bad if you were by my side when I wake up._

The thought caught Akechi off guard but he was too tired to deal with it right now.

 

When Akechi woke up Akira was brushing his hair on the other side of the bed. Noticing Akechi was awake he turned and shot him a grin. 

“I have to go to school, but feel free to use my bed for however long you need to. Also there’s medicine for you on my bedside drawer.” 

And then he was gone before Akechi could even thank him. He felt bewildered and suspiciously fuzzy. 

_Happiness?_

Akechi's thoughts wandered briefly before he was falling into the dark embrace of sleep once again, he thought about how he would never be able to sleep this well again, unless he was in Akira’s bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, let me know what you thought!


End file.
